Shirring method



C. E. IVES May 25, 1965 SHIRRING METHOD l6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Sept. 19. 1960 frwenfor; Clz'ffard E. Ives y M d #1.} Z lfiy y 5, 1965 c. E. IVES 3,184,786

SHIRRING METHOD Original Filed Sept. 19. 1960 16 Sheets-Sheet 2 C. E. IVES SHIRRING METHOD May 25, 1965 16 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Sept. 19. 1960 m9. kumst Wis wwikkvd k6 M3 5 J mm m May 25, 1965 c. E. IVES 3,184,736

SHIRRING METHOD Original Filed Sept. 19. 1960 18 Sheets-Sheet 4 mml WWII

C. E. IVES SHIRRING METHOD May 25, 1965 16 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Sept. 19. 1960 595% a El www y 5, 1965 c. E. IVES 3,184,786

SHIRRING METHOD Original Filed Sept. 19. 1960 16 Sheets-Sheet 6 AUXILIARY HEAD RELAY HEAD COUNTER HEAD RELAY AUX/L [AR Y MM.- H INE RELAY MACH/NE COUNTER MACH/NE RELAY HEAD CLUTCH RELAY HEAD BRAKE HEAD (ILL/TCH REE L BRA KE MACHINE CLUTCN ELAY MACHINE BRAKE MACHINE CLUTCH W/ND/NG OF y 1965 c. E. was 3,184,786

SHIRRING METHOD Original Filed Sept. 19. 1960 16 Sheets-Sheet 7 any 3O 6O 90 I 150 210 2V0 270 300 330 360 MOVEMENT 0F FDLLOWER ROLL /65 ON CARRMGE RE C IFROC A T/IVG DRUM (AM 167 CU/VTACTSJ 0 so so so raoaommaoosaoaeo DEGREES o ROTATION 0F DRUM CAM I67 AND CAMS/{AFT 76 80 CLOSED CONMCZF SHOWN BY May 25, 1965 c. E. was

snmnme METHOD 16 Sheets-Sheet 8 Original Filed Sept. 19. 1960 y 5, 1965 c. E. IVES 3,184,786

SHIRRING METHOD Original Filed Sept. 19. 1960 16 Sheets-Sheet 9 May 25, 1965 c. E. IVES 3,134,786

SHIRRING METHOD Original Filed Sept. 19, 1960 16 Sheets-Sheet 10 Hlllllli 302 y 5, 1965 c. E. IVES 3,184,786

SHIRRING METHOD Original Filed Sept. 19, 1960 16 Sheets-Sheet 11 C. E. IVES SHIRRING METHOD May 25, 1965 16 Sheets-Sheet 12 Original Filed Sept. 19. 1960 May 25, 1965 c. E. was

SHIRRING METHOD 16 Sheets-Sheet 13 Original Filed Sept. 19. 1960 mm @w x0 May 25, 1965 c. E. IVES snnmme METHOD 16 Sheets-Sheet 15 Original Filed Sept. 19. 1960 Nb 9% g United States Patent 0 3,184,786 SHllRRlNG METHOD Clifford E. Ives, Wilmette, 111., assignor to Tee-Pak, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Original application Sept. 19, 196i Scr. No. 57,057, now Patent No. 3,112,517, dated Dec. 3, 1963. Divided and this application Oct. 16, 1963, Ser. No. 316,582 6 Claims. (Cl. 17-45) This is a division of my copending application Serial No. 57,057, filed September 19, 1960, now United States Patent 3,112,517, issued December 3, 1963.

This invention relates, generally, to the shirring of thin walled cellulosic sausage casings and the like and it has particular relation to the automation thereof.

Among the objects of this invention are: To provide for automatically converting a tubular thin walled cellulosic casing of indefinite length into a plurality of shirred strands of the casing of definite length in a new and improved manner; to shirr the casing onto a floating mandrel and then to transfer it to a receiving mandrel that is separate and distinct from the floating mandrel; to shirr the casing continuously on the floating mandrel; to employ a plurality of receiving mandrels and to mount them for endwise movement on and bodily movement with a turret that is rotatable about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the floating mandrel; to index the turret for positioning the receiving mandrels, one by one, in endwise alignment with the floating mandrel; to shift the receiving mandrel in alignment with the floating mandrel into endwise engagement therewith to support it against endwise, side wise, and rotary movement about its longitudinal axis when the clamp means otherwise holding it against such movement is disengaged therefrom; to supply air under pressure through the floating mandrel for inflating the unshirred casing and to continue the supply of air under pressure through the receiving mandrel while supporting the floating mandrel; to shirr the casing against compaction means positioned adjacent the floating mandrel and in close proximity to the point at which the shirring operation takes place; to employ a pair of compaction rolls on opposite sides of the floating mandrel for the compaction means and to rotate them in the direction that the casing is shirred at a peripheral speed equal to the linear speed at which the casing is shirred; to sever a shirred strand of the casing adjacent the compaction means or rolls from the following shirred casing; to separate the folds and pleats of the shirred casing and to extend them for facilitating the severance of the shirred strand and then to contract them to their shirred state; to

compress completely the shirred strand on the floating mandrel in the direction in which the strand is shirred against the clamp means which holds it against movement or alternatively to open the clamp means and transfer the uncompressed strand to the receiving mandrel in supporting engagement with the floating mandrel and to compress it on this receiving mandrel in the direction in which the strand is shirred for the major portion of the total compression; to transfer the shirred and compressed strand from the floating mandrel to the receiving mandrel in supporting engagement therewith; to recompress the strand on the receiving mandrel in the direction opposite to that in which it is shirred on indexing of the turret to move the receiving mandrel out of alignment with the floating mandrel or to complete the compression of the strand in the direction opposite to the direction in which the casing is shirred; to hold the strand under compression while the turret is being indexed to bring the other receiving mandrels into and out of receiving position with respect to the floating mandrel; to doff the completed strand from the h receiving mandrel in a position thereof preceding its movement again into strand receiving position; to mount the floating mandrel horizontally and to support the leading end thereof which projects into the unshirred inflated casing by a roll which is rotated in the direction that the casing moves to be shirred at a peripheral speed equal to the linear speed that the casing moves; and to perform the various operations and functions simultaneously and/or sequentially in definite timed relation to the end that the casing is shirred continuously onto the floating mandrel and the shirred strands are severed, one by one, compressed in the shirring direction, transferred to the receiving mandrels or transferred to the receiving mandrels without being compressed and thereon compressed in the direction of shirring, recompressed in the opposite direction to the shirring direction or further compressed in this opposite direction, held under compression and finally doffed from the receiving mandrels.

In the drawings:

FIGS. 1 and 2, taken together with FIG. 1 being placed to the left of FIG. 2, shows in perspective and somewhat diagrammatically an automatic shirring machine embodying the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing the succession of events taking place in the shirring of a strand by the shirring head onto the floating mandrel and the succession of events which takes place as the shirred strand progresses through the shirred casing handling machine.

FIG. 4 is a turret diagram which shows one position of the turret where one of the receiving mandrels is in alignment with the floating mandrel, certain of the receiving mandrels have the shirred strand held in compression thereon and the receiving mandrel, next to be moved into alignment with the floating mandrel, has the strand thereon doffed therefrom.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view, at an enlarged scale, of a typical splice formation at the abutting ends of the flat casing.

FIG. 6 is a view, in side elevation and looking from right to left of the measuring roll as shown in FIG. 2, of one of the supports for the measuring roll and the squeeze roll and parts associated therewith for detecting the presence of a splice.

FIG. 7 is a view in side elevation, looking from right to left, of the construction shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 6, except that the end portion only of the squeeze roll is shown and the operating handle, shown in FIG. 6, is not illustrated.

FIG. 9 shows, diagrammatically, the drive motor and certain of the control elements associated therewith.

FIG. 10 shows, diagrammatically, the circuit connections that are used in conjunction with the apparatus shown in FIG. 9 for the purpose of controlling the operation of the shirring machine shown in FIGS. l2, upon the occurrence of a splice in the unshirred casing.

FIG. 11 is a chart which shows various operations that are performed during a period of operation of the casing severing means.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the shirred casing severing means or the severing machine, certain parts being broken away in order to show more clearly the details of construction.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the relationship between one of the pinch rolls provided with a pinion which is rotated on engagement with a stationary rack.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing the details of construction and mode of operation of the holding finger or digger and of the scoring yoke or cutter.

FIG. 15 is an exploded view of the cams and certain of the associated parts of the severing machine shown in FIG. 12.

FIG. 16 is a view showing the relation between the vertical rod which supports the holding finger or digger and ts? the transverse head member which, in part, controls its movement.

FIG. 17 is a view, similar to FIG. 16, showing the relationship between the rod which carries the scoring yoke or cutter and the transverse head member which, in part, controls its movement.

FIGS. 18 to 27 show the sequence of operations involved in performing a severing operation to sever a shirred strand from the following shirred casing.

FIG. 28 is an elevational view showing the manner in which the connections are made to rotate the support rails on which the carriage is mounted to move the shirred strand along the floating mandrel and to transfer it therefrom to a receiving mandrel.

FIG. 29 is a view, in end elevation, of the construction shown in FIG. 28, the support rails being shown in section, illustrating the positions of the parts when the carriage jaws are in operative position with respect to the floating mandrel.

FIG. 30 is a view, similar to FIG. 29, showing the positions of the several parts when the carriage jaws have been moved upwardly and out of operative engagement with the floating mandrel.

FIG. 31 is an elevational view of the carriage.

FIG. 32 is a view, in end elevation of the construction shown in FIG. 31, certain parts being shown in section, illustrating the carriage jaws in operative position with respect to the floating mandrel, the positions of the parts here corresponding to the positions of the parts shown in FIG. 29.

FIG. 33 is a view, similar to FIG. 32, and shows the positions of the respective parts when the carriage jaws are moved upwardly out of operative engagement with the floating mandrel, the positions of the parts here corresponding to the positions of the parts shown in FIG. 30.

FIG. 34 is an elevational view of the right end of the turret and shows a portion of the mechanism employed for moving the clamp jaws into and out of operative position with respect to the floating mandrel.

FIG. 35 is a view, in end elevation, of the construction shown in FIG. 34, the clamp jaws being shown in operative position.

FIG. 36 is a top plan view of one of the clamp jaws shown in FIG. 35 and certain of the associated operating mechanism.

FIG. 37 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 37-37 of FIG. 38 and showing, at an enlarged scale, the manner in which the clamp jaws cooperate with the floating mandrel and how one of the receiving mandrels cooperates with the floating mandrel to hold it against endwise and rotary movement.

FIG. 38 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 3838 of FIG. 37.

FIG. 39 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 39-39 of FIG. 37.

FIG. 40 is a view, in side elevation, of the turret.

FIG. 41 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 4141 of FIG. 42.

FIG. 42 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 42-42 of FIG. 40.

FIG. 43 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 43-43 of FIG. 41.

FIG. 44 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section showing the arrangement of the compressor hydraulic operator and how it cooperates with a compressordolfer.

FIG. 45 shows the arrangement of the dotfer hydraulic operator and how it cooperates with a compressor-dotfer.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, positioned in side-by-side relation, the reference character 1 designates, generally, a shirring machine embodying the present invention. The shirring machine 1 includes a head mechanism, shown generally at 2, and a shirred casing handling machine, shown generally at 3. It will be understood that the head mechanism 2 and the shirred casing handling machine 3 are mounted on a single frame structure, which is not shown in order to illustrate more clearly the features of construction of the various parts of the shirring machine 1.

The shirring machine 1 is arranged and constructed for automatically shirring a thin walled tubular cellulosic sausage casing 4 of indefinite length as it is unwound from a reel 5. Various lengths of shirred strand are formed by the shirring machine 1. For example, shirred strands can be formed having extended lengths of or as may be desired. These extended lengths of. shirred strands are illustrative of typical lengths and it will he understood that greater and lesser lengths can be shirred. The extended lengths can be of the order of 40' to more or less, as may be desired and depending upon the construction of the shirring machine 1. In order to shir these various lengths of easing the shirred casing handling machine 3 is movable endwise with respect to the head mechanism 2. The shirring machine 1 will be described for operation in conjunction with the shirring of 109' lengths of casing and the manner in which suitable adjustment is made for shirring the other lengths of casing will be described.

The reel 5 on which the casing 4 is wound flatwise is mounted for rotation with a shaft 6. Associated with the shaft 6 is an electrically operated brake 7 which is normally energized when the shirring machine 1 is in operation and is deenergized when the shirring machine 1 is stopped, or in particular when the head mechanism 2 is stopped, in order to prevent further unwinding of the casing 4. The flat tubular casing 4 is threaded between a squeeze roll 8 and a measuring roll 9, With the arrangement being such that the casing 4 is unreeled from the reel 5 at a speed of 8 per second, although other speeds can be employed if desired. The squeeze roll 8 can be driven by friction between it and the casing 4 or it can 7e geared to the measuring roll 9 to rotate synchronously therewith.

The measuring roll 9 is mounted for rotation with a shaft 10 on which an electrically operated brake 11 is provided which, like the brake 7, is arranged to be deenergized when the shirring machine 1 is stopped, or in particular when the head mechanism 2 is stopped, to prevent further rotation of the shaft 10. The shaft 10 is connected through an electrically operated clutch 12 to a sprocket 13 which is driven by a chain 14 from a drive sprocket 15 on a drive shaft 16 which is rotated by a drive motor 17 that preferably is a variable speed motor and is arranged to rotate the shaft 16 at a speed of 320 rpm. The motor 17 preferably is a three-phase alternating current motor. However, for illustrative purposes it is shown and described herein as a single phase motor to simplify the disclosure.

It is desirable that means he provided for detecting a defect in the casing 4 after it passes between the squeeze roll 8 and the measuring roll 9 and before it is operated upon by the head mechanism 2. For this purpose tear rolls 1818 are provided above and below the casing immediately to the left of the squeeze roll 8 and measuring roll 9. Normally they are held apart by pressure of the inflated casing to hold the contacts of the tear switch 19 closed. As long as the contacts of the tear switch 19 remain closed, the motor 17 continues to be energized, unless otherwise controlled. However, should a defect in the casing appear causing it to deflate, the tear rolls 18-48 move toward each other and open the contacts of the tear switch 19 and deenergize the drive motor 17.

The casing 4 is directed by vertically extending side guide rolls 2i)20, immediately to the left of the tear rolls 1818, onto the leading end 21 of a horizontal tubular floating mandrel 22. Air under pressure flows through the floating mandrel 22 and out of its leading end 21 for inflating the casing, as indicated at 23, in order to facilitate the shirring operation. Positioned underneath the leading end 21 of the floating mandrel 22 is a support roll 24 having a grooved surface for interfitting with the inflated casing 23 and supporting the leading end 21 of the floating mandrel 22. The support roll 24 is caused to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow thereon at a peripheral speed which is equal to the linear speed at which the inflated casing 23 moves onto the floating mandrel 22. For this purpose the support roll 24 is mounted on a shaft 25 for rotation therewith. A sprocket 26 is fast on the shaft 25 and is driven by a chain 27 from a sprocket 28 that is fast on the shaft 10. The chain 27 also extends over a sprocket 29 on a shaft 30 which is employed for driving a shirring head that is indicated, generally, at 31 that can be constructed as disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,722,714, issued November 8, 1955.

The shirring head 31 employs upper and lower shirring belts 3434 which are provided with shirring dogs and are trained over pairs of pinions 3535 and 3636 positioned above and below the inflated casing 23 intermediate the ends of the floating mandrel 22 and nearer to the leading end 21 thereof. The shirring belts 34-34 also are trained over pairs of pinions 37-37 and 383S. The arrangement is such that the shirring belts 34-34 effect the shirring operation on the inflated casing 23 continuously. It will be observed that the lower right pinion 38 is mounted on the shaft 31') for rotation therewith. By this means the lower shirring belt 34 is driven. Fast on the shaft 30 is a gear 39 which drives a gear 40 which is fast on a shaft 41 on which the upper right pinion 38 is mounted. Thus the upper and lower shirring belts 3434 are driven at the same speed in the directions indicated by the arrows on the several pinions to effect the shirring operation between the pairs of pinions 35-35 at the point 42. The shirred casing is indicated at 43 immediately to the left of the point of shirring 42. While the shirring head 31 has been described as employing the shirring belts 34-34, it will be understood that other shirring means can be employed. For example, instead of using two shirring belts located on opposite sides of the inflated casing 23, three such shirring belts can be employed equally spaced around the inflated casing or 120 apart. Also, instead of shirring belts, shirring wheels can be employed which are provided along their outer peripheries with shirring teeth or dogs similar to the shirring teeth or dogs on the shirring belts 3434. Either two such shirring wheels can be employed on opposite sides of the inflated casing 23, or three such shirring wheels can be used in 120 spaced relationship. If desired, four such shirring wheels can be used. In

such case they are mounted in 90 spaced relationship around the inflated casing 23. Whatever type of shirring head 31 is employed, the arrangement preferably is such that it operates continuously to shirr the inflated casing 23 at the shirring point 42 to provide the shirred casing 43 which moves along the floating mandrel 22 at a uniform Speed. For the conditions above described the shirred casing 43 moves along the floating mandrel 22 at a speed of 3.2" per second.

When shirring wheels are employed instead of the shirring belts 34-34, it is desirable that the inflated casing 23 be fed to them or to the shirring point 42. For this purpose feed belts, similar to the shirring belts 34 34, can be used or they can be belts provided with continuous juxtaposed grooves in which the inflated casing 23 is gripped lightly and fed to the shirring point 42 to the end that the only function of the shirring wheels is to shirr the casing, as indicated at 43, against the compaction rolls 44-45. The feed belts are operated at a linear speed slightly in excess of the peripheral speed of e the shirring wheels to pull the inflated casing 23 from the metering roll 9. A suitable lubricant, such as mineral oil or other inert oil, is applied to the casing contacting surfaces of the feed belts in order to lubricate the outer surface of the inflated casing 23. This reduces the fric til] 5 tion developed between the lugs on the shirring wheels and the casing which would tend to cause erosion of the lugs and damage, such as pin holing, to the shirred casing 43.

With a view to insuring that the shirred casing 43 moves along the floating mandrel 22 at a uniform speed, compaction means in the form of upper and lower compaction rolls 44 and 45 are located above and below the floating mandrel 22 in juxtaposition to the point of shirring 42 and to the left of the shirring head 31. They are formed of soft resilient material and are centrally grooved in order to avoid any damage to the shirred casing 43 as it moves therebetween. The upper compaction roll 44 may rotate freely or it may be driven with the lower compaction roll 45 which is mounted for rotation with a shaft 46 on which a sprocket 47 is mounted to be driven by a chain 48 from a sprocket 49 on a shaft 50. The arrangement is such that the peripheral speed of the lower compaction roll 45 is equal to or less than the speed at which the shirred casing 43 moves along the floating mandrel 22.

The shaft 50 is driven from the drive motor 17 in the following manner. The shaft 50 is driven through mitre gears 5151 from a shaft 52 which extends vertically and has connection through reduction gears 53a, 53b, 53c and 53d with a vertical shaft 54 that is driven by mitre gears 5555 from a horizontal shaft 56 on which there is an electrically operated brake S7. The arrangement is such that, on deenergization of the drive motor 17 or other control causing the rotation of the shaft 56 to cease, the brake 57 is effective to stop such further rotation and further movement of the parts driven thereby. The shaft 56 is connected by an electrically operated clutch 58 to a sprocket 59 which is driven by a chain 60 from a drive sprocket 61 on the shaft 16. By suitably controlling the energization of the clutch 58, it is possible to stop rotation of the shaft 56 and movement of the parts driven thereby while the motor 17 continues to drive the shaft 10 through the clutch 12. Likewise, it is possible to operate the clutch 12 and prevent further rotation of the shaft 10 and parts driven thereby while permitting the shaft 56 to continue to rotate. In general, it is pointed out that the shirred casing handling machine 3 is driven by the drive motor 17 through the shaft 56 and parts driven thereby and that the head mechanism 2 is driven by the shaft 10 and the elements directly connected thereto. By selectively controlling the energization of the clutches 53 and 12 it is possible selectively to control the operation of the shirred casing handling machine 3 and the head mechanism 2 as may be desired. Ordinarily, however, the operation of the shirring machine 1 is a continuous operation with the clutches 58 and 12 being deenergized or unclutched only under certain special ciriumstances requiring such action.

The floating mandrel 22, as the name implies, floats between the shirring belts 3434 with the unshirred inflated casing 23 moving over the leading end 21 and being shirred, in the manner described, against the compaction rolls 44-45. The floating mandrel 22 is held in this position at its trailing end 63 by clamp means, indicated generally at 64. The clamp means 64 not only hold the floating mandrel 22 against endwise and sidewise movement, but also it holds it against rotation about its longitudinal axis. However, since the casing is shirred, as indicated at 43, onto the floating mandrel 22, it is necessary to provide means for unclamping the clamp means 64 in order to permit the transfer of the shirred casing from the floating mandrel 22. At the same time, it is necessary to hold the floating mandrel 22 against endwise and sidewise movement as well as against rotary movement. The manner in which this is accomplished will be described presently.

The clamp means 64 includes clamp members 65-65 which are arranged to engage the trailing end 63 of the floating mandrel 22 from opposite sides and to hold it not only against cndwise and sidewisc movement but also against rotation about its longitudinal axis. The clamp members 65 are pivoted at their ends at 66-66 on the upwardly extending arms of hell cranks 67-457 which are pivoted at 6868 about fixed axes.

In order to supply air under pressure to the tubular floating mandrel 22 for inflating the casing at 23 at the leading end 21, an air connection 69 is provided in one of the clamp members 65. The air connection 69 is provided with a valve arrangement which prevents the escape of the compressed air when the clamp members 65-65 are disengaged from the trailing end 63 of the floating mandrel 22. As will be described hereinafter, air under pressure continues to flow through the floating mandrel 22 for maintaining the casing inflated at 23 after the clamp members 65-65 are moved out of engagement with the trailing end 63 of the floating mandrel 22.

The other arms of the bell cranks 67-67 are pivotally connected at 70-7t) to the upper ends of operating rods 71-71 which are commonly pivoted at 72 to the outer end of a clamp operating lever 73 which is pivoted at 74 about a fixed axis. Intermediate the ends of the clamp operating lever 73 is a follower roll 75 which interfits with a cam groove 76 in a box type mandrel clamp cam 77 which is fast on a horizontal cam shaft 78.

It has been pointed out hercinbefore that the shirred casing handling machine 3 is movable relative to the head mechanism 2 in order to accommodate different lengths of shirred strands of easing. Also, it has been pointed out that the shirring machine 1 is shown in the position for shirring 100' lengths of casing. In this position the shirred casing handling machine 3 is located furthest away from the head mechanism 2. In order to accommodate this shifting of the shirred casing handling ma chine 3, the cam shaft 78 has a splined connection 79 with a cam shaft 80 that is arranged to be rotated at a speed of one revolution in each twelve and one-half seconds for the handling of 100' shirred strands. Provision is made for increasing this speed to accommodate shorter lengths of shirred strands. In effect, then, the cam shaft 78 and the cam shaft 86 can be considered as a single shaft with the splined connection 79 thercbetwcen.

Past on the cam shaft 80 is a worm wheel 81 which is driven by a worm 82 on a vertical shaft 83. Siidable on the vertical shaft 83 are gears 84a, 84b and 840 that are arranged to be moved axially of the vertical shaft 83 by a gear shifter yoke 85. The gear shifter yoke 8:? includes a rack 86 with which a pinion 37 has driving engagement and is mounted on a shaft 83 for rotation by a crank 89. The gear shifter yoke occupies a position corresponding the lowest speed of the cam shaft 80. Accordingly, the crank 89 is shown by full lines. it is shown by broken lines in two other positions which correspond, respectively, to the two higher operating speeds for the cam shaft 80. Fast on the vertical shaft 54, which it will be recalled is driven by the motor 17, are gears 90a, 90b and 99c. It will be noted that the gear 9% has driving connection with the gear 840 and that the gears 90b and 96c are out of engagement. On movement of the gear shifter yoke 85 by rotation of the crank 89 to the intermediate position, the gear 84a is moved out of engagement with the gear 90a and gear 841; is moved into driving engagement with gear 90b. Likewise, when the crank 89 is moved to the lowermost position shown by the broken lines, the gear 841) is moved out of driving engagement with the gear 90b and the gear 840 is moved into driving engagement with the gear 90c.

After a predetermined length of the shirred casing 43 has moved past the compaction rolls 44-45, it is desirable that this length be severed from the following shirred casing to permit the shirred strand, thus severed, to be moved off of the floating mandrel 22 for subsequent treatment in a manner to be described. For this purpose shirred casing severing means, or a severing machine shown generally at 93, is employed. It includes a hous ing 94 that is stationarily mounted on the frame of the shirring machine 1 between the shirring head 31 and the shirred casing handling machine 3. In order to provide a separation between the length of shirred strand to be severed from the following shirred casing 21 holding finger or digger 95 is movably mounted on the housing 94 and, at the appropriate time, is arranged to move upwardly about /s" in order to separate the adjacent folds and pleats of the shirred casing 43. The arrangement is such that the holding finger or digger 95 not only is moved upwardly to engage and separate the shirred casing 43 adajcent the compaction rolls 44 15 but also it moves along the floating mandrel 22 at the speed at which the shirred casing 43 moves therealong.

In order to facilitate the severance of the shirred strand from the preceding shirred casing 43, pinch rolls 9s 9e are mounted on pinch roll brackets J7-97. The pinch rolls 96-96 are rotated in the directions indicated by the arrows associated therewith for refolding the folds and pleats of that portion of the casing which is extended from the holding finger or digger 95. The arrangement is such that the pinch rolls 9t? 96 move along the floating mandrel 22 at a speed which is greater than the speed at which the casing 43 is shirred. The pinch rolls 9696 are formed of soft material of a frictional character and are moved toward each other to pinch the shirred casing therebetween against the floating mandrel 22. Since the pinch rolls 96% move along the floating mandrel 22 at a speed in excess of the speed at which the holding finger or digger 95 moves therealong, the intervening portion of the casing is unfolded. At the same time, the pinch rolls 95-95 are rotated in the directions indicated at a peripheral speed which is several times the speed at which the shirred casing 43 moves along the floating mandrel 22 for the purpose, as stated, of refolding the unfolded casing after it has been severed from the following shirred casing. The pinch rolls 96-% are mounted on pinch roll brackets 9797 which, in turn, are mounted on horizontal shafts 98-98 carried by the housing 94. The arrangement is such that, when the severing operation is to be performed, the pinch roll brackets 97-97, which normally are spaced away from the floating mandrel 22, are rotated toward each other to bring the pinch rolis eh-96 into the engagement previously described with the shirred casing and at the same time the pinch rolls 9696 are rotated.

After the holding finger or digger 95 is moved into engagement with the shirred casing 93 in the manner described and the portion of the casing to the left is extended through the operation of the pinch rolls 9696, a scoring yoke or cutter 99 is moved upwardly about 2%" to engage tightly the opposite sides of the floating mandrel 22 with the extended portion of the casing therebetween. The scoring yoke or cutter 99 is of bifurcated construction with the arms being formed by relatively stiff round wires or like rigid members which have substantially point contact engagement with. opposite sides of the mandrel 22 and serve to score the casing. This starts the casing to tear and to be severed on opposite sides of the floating mandrel 22. Since the pinch rolls 9596 are moved along the floating mandrel 22 at such a speed as to apply an endwise tension to that portion of the casing bet 'een them and the holding finger or digger 95, the tension thus applied is sufficient to complete the severance of the casing which is started by the scoring operation in the manner described. Provision is made also for moving the scoring yoke or cutter 99 along the floating mandrel 22 at the same speed that the holding finger or digger 95 moves therealong. The movement of the holding finger or digger 95 and of the scoring yoke or cutter 99 along the floating mandrel 22 is the order of 2% after which they are moved downwardly through an extent equal to the extent that they were moved upwardly as described. Thereafter, the 

1. METHOD OF REDUCING THE LENGTH OF A SHIRRED STRAND OF THIN WALLED SAUSAGES CASING WHICH COMPRISES: HOLDING ONE END OF THE SHIRRED STRAND AGAINST ENDWISE MOVEMENT WHILE MOVING THE OTHER END TOWARD SAID ONE END AND THEN HOLDING SAID OTHER END AGAINST ENDWISE MOVEMENT WHILE MOVING SAID ONE END TOWARD SAID OTHER END. 